This article alone goes to the very heart of why The Bahamas is destined for complete collapse.
We have lost any ability we may have once had to be a partner in legitimate moral and ethical questions and dialogs.
This article alone shows clearly that our nation has lost its way.
That we could and would continue to support the criminals in business, politics and our daily life says it all.
Philanthropy. Holy flucking shite. Do they think we are all fools?

We try to reiterate to Americans at all times that travel advisories, we think are, although electronically generated, are counterproductive to our tourism industry and are counter-productive to the amount of businesses that are American-owned businesses that operate in a touristic environment,” Mr Henfield told reporters yesterday.
Given that the Tribune has this quote correct, did Mr. Henfield go to school, any school, before getting elected?
Perhaps the Bahamian government should issue some advisories to our people, as well.
Beware of Bahamian MPs who dress nicely, many are unable to put together a sentence, let alone "lead" their people.

This is merely a commentary on skill sets.
Were we to honestly evaluate work ethics, such as reliability, showing up at all, being on time, attitude, honesty, time spent in the bathroom, using a cell phone for gossip while on the job......... we would see where the real problems in attracting and keeping businesses here really are. These issues may be accepted here as part of the "culture", but they could never be accepted by someone who has lived and hired people in places where things actually work.
Our biggest problem is accepting the fact that we have a marginally functioning society, from government to the private sector. The metrics stare us in the face daily, but most of us seem in denial.

Mr. Evans just likes to see his name in the paper. Little of substance, many errors, and a waste of time for those who choose to read his nonsense. But, a good substitute for no comics in this paper. Empty words from an evan emptier vessel.

Every serious academic and scholarly study clearly states that democracy is an illusion. The opportunity to vote for the lesser of clowns, while still a choice, is like choosing between eating green dirt or red dirt. No matter the outcome, we are still eating dirt. This is why Britain and the US educational outcomes must decline. Were people to realize and understand that these two nations founded on slavery, war, oppression of their own people, racism, and unfair trading practices... have changed little through today, we would revolt. All the better to have seemingly knowledgeable and decent people arguing for a failed system that despises the true intent of democracy. The US government, as well as, Britain's, were bought and paid for long ago. Corporations and the rich now run the world and all governments. A so-called good education will not allow this truth to be understood.

Agreed 100%.
Get rid of the cruise ships altogether.
They are a blight on The Bahamas and a poor steward of our natural resources.

Sadly, what is required is coordinated, intelligent and long term planning for the good of this nation. It hasn't happened in our lifetimes, has it? We can't have ad hoc experts who are paid to push the World Trade Organization and other failed economic theories on a national level, while ignoring the major economic issues we must contend with to "save" our nation. Namely, that capitalism is a failed system, unable to account for clean water, clean air and the health of human beings. Nor can a system that relies on endless growth, like a cancer exist on a planet of finite resources. The government and the majority of people in The Bahamas are broke. No money kind of broke. Our national educational level is wholly inadequate for this challenge. We must wean ourselves from fossil fuels and we must reduce our consumption in a very significant way. The hullabaloo over the plastic bag ban, while simultaneously promoting drilling for oil, our lack of action in securing our conch and other fishery products, our wanton littering of the roadsides, and other indicators suggest that we just don't get it. Many scientists contend that religion, our type, is anathema to science. While I agree, no change will be coming anytime soon on any of these fronts. The rich will move to higher ground, and then proclaim as irresponsible those who couldn't afford hurricane and flood insurance. Just as the director of our Central Bank is suggesting. That the government has not mandated tornado proof hurricane shelters on every island is indicative of the thought central government has given to the welfare of its citizens. Hell we can't even keep the electrical current on and our hospital open in our capital. Like most other things, we are a century behind the curve in progressive thinking. Unfortunately, the storms will grow more intense and more frequent, and the sea levels ARE rising. Not doom and gloom as our favorite "leaders" suggest, but the reality in front of us that no amount of praying will make go away. The selfish, untutored, xenophobic and dishonest ways have finally caught up to us, as they say. I find no pleasure in saying that the future of The Bahamas does not look good, to put it mildly. Realism is just as important as hope and prayer. We have failed forever in this regard and it would indeed take a miracle to find a happy ending. Not a rosy picture, and the messenger, as always, will be the culprit.

Way too polite in this era of political correctness. Evans is a fake intellectual and religious con artist. Too self righteous to learn.

Sure, let's tweak a flawed, inefficient, regressive and corrupting method of running a government. Customs is a symptom of a backwards mentality that exists at the pleasure of the upper classes. Businesses pass it on to the consumer, politicians use their contacts to avoid it, and the richest simply bribe their way to a very reduced amount. And, none of us are the wiser as to why working people's taxes and cost of living are skyrocketing here. Why no one can save. Why only the rich can afford insurance. Why each government just can't get their handle on our national budget. Time to do away with this silly way of enslaving our citizens.

Mr. Gray,
You hit the nail on the head. The lack of vision and planning has gotten us to where we are today. This is a national problem. Your voice and perspective are very important. Please continue to explain to the Bahamian people exactly what you have stated here. Again and again. The politicians have produced only more short term thinking politicians. This FNM set is just more of the same. If this country had visionary, honest, educated and selfless leaders, would we be in the dire straights we are in now? As you state, "There is a pool of international expertise available that can be called on to assist." Yet, this "Bahamianization" idea has manifested itself among many people in power here, leading to exactly where we are today. While competent, educated and capable people are available to help, they are just of the wrong nationality or color. So, we accept poor education outcomes, poor business planning, and a group of so-called "leaders" who take all they can for themselves, leaving little for their fellow citizens. This applies not just to our politicians, but to the wealthy business people who are accustomed to behaving in a short-term selfish fashion.
I wholeheartedly agree that Bahamasair should be run in an efficient manner, for the benefit of all Bahamians. The calls for privatization of Bahamasar are suspect from the get-go. Were we to attract competent leadership, we would have no problem competing on the world stage. We have spent a generation convincing ourselves that we have all the necessary talent right here to succeed. Have we succeeded at anything other than a few sports contests? Yes, it is time to look outside our borders for some talents that are clearly lacking here at home.